your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Druvinka Bandaranayake
Donor
My daughter is malnourished because we don’t have enough food to eat.
Ushanthi lives in a temporary shelter with her husband and their three children, in the Kilinochchi district. Her husband works as a daily wage labourer, and his is the only income coming into the household. It isn’t enough to cover the family’s daily needs, and during the rainy season, when he has no work at all, there is even less to rely on.
Their home has no toilet. One of her daughters is underweight, a result of the family not always being able to afford proper nutrition. Getting through each day meant finding a way to feed her three children on money that was already stretched too thin.
To manage, Ushanthi used to borrow from neighbours and relatives just to cover basic needs. It was never a guaranteed source of help, and depending on it, over and over, was a difficult and uncertain way to live. She had no income of her own to fall back on when a loan wasn’t available.
Beyond the daily struggle for money, Ushanthi carried her problems largely on her own. She received no help from the government, and didn’t have the mental courage to go and ask others for it. Every small setback felt like something she had to face by herself, without anyone to turn to.
Despite all this, Ushanthi kept working to hold her family together and provide for her children. She is eager to move her family forward, but lacks the means to do it. She wants a way to earn steadily, put food on the table without depending on borrowed money, and see her daughter healthy. That is what she is always working towards.
Please note for many women sharing in written form is not easy. We sit with women to support them to share their story and have added context so you can weave together what you have made possible.
Are you well? I pray to God that you and your family are living well. I have three children. My husband is a day labourer. My husband’s income is not enough to meet my family’s daily needs. Because of this, I used to borrow from my neighbours and relatives to meet our daily needs. This was a difficult situation for me.
(At the time we met Ushanthi, her family was struggling with the deep poverty. With yours and Palmera’s support, she found the strength to save her own money and start a business, helping her family recover and rebuild their lives.)
It is in this situation that I joined the Manippilavar village savings group that was operating in our village. In the beginning, I saved 100 or 200 rupees as a basic amount. (And then I continued saving).I also received emergency loans from the group and fulfilled my small, daily needs. To be honest, during the rainy season, my husband has no work. During this time, I have fulfilled my children’s food needs with the savings and loans I received from the group. For this, I express my thanks to my group.
(Palmera established the village bank in her village to develop financial literacy, a place to save and revolve their savings as loans to reduce their debt from predatory lenders. Through the village bank women come together each week to talk, to share what is going on and support each other. This is the foundation for change because change happens in community and that is exactly what these structures support.)
After I joined, I received a loan of 5000 rupees to start a chicken-rearing business. From this, I bought 05 chickens. Now I have 20 country chickens. Along with that, I also received support for a home garden. Because of this, we are eating healthy, non-toxic vegetables. Also, by getting eggs, I am providing complete nutrition to my children.
(For food security, Palmera supports women to establish home gardens and small poultry farming. This is becoming more challenging with wild monkeys, limited access to seeds, and increasing pests due to changing climate. Because of these challenges, many do not engage in home gardening and poultry. Through your support, we are changing that, helping families grow their own food and earn an income from what they produce.)
I also sell my eggs and produce within my group. The income I get from this is increasing my savings compared to the beginning. Then, I used my savings and a loan to buy dairy cows with the money I had. Through this, my income increased. With the income I received, I paid back the loans I had taken from my relatives and neighbours. To be honest, I can say that I have no debt now. My income is sufficient for my family’s daily needs. Because of this, my family and I are living a very happy life.
(For food security, Palmera helps women start dairy farming with milk cows. This is becoming more challenging with increasing diseases due to the changing climate. Because of these challenges, many do not engage in raising animals. Through your support, we are changing that and helping families earn a steady income from selling milk.)
Before I joined the group, I didn’t even have the courage to face the small problems that arose for me, and I faced many setbacks. To be honest, I didn’t get any kind of help from the government. I didn’t have the mental courage to go and ask government officials for it. But after joining the self-help group, I developed the quality of taking on leadership and responsibilities to run the group. I record the accounts in our group’s passbook.
During this time, I was selected as a representative from our group to speak on behalf of them. After going to the federation, I learned many things. I identified the problems in the village and went to the relevant places and have solved many problems. This activity was a great help in my personal life as well. To be specific, I developed the skills to go to a government official regarding my rights, express my problems, and talk to them. I also learned how to handle problems. As a result of this, my respect has increased at the village level as well.
I express my thanks to our group and my friends who helped me learn all these skills and good leadership qualities. Beyond this, I have planned to increase my income from my dairy cows in the future. I am thinking of producing and selling local products like ghee, yoghurt, and milk toffee from the milk I get from my dairy farm.
Thank you. The support you gave was the foundation for my family’s livelihood and life. I am very happy to thank you for selecting my family. I pray to God that you and your family may live with health, happiness, and long life.
Thank you.
Ushanthi
Our work continues with Ushanthi. She has begun the journey to stand on her own, but lasting change takes time. We will walk alongside her for one more year before letting go of her hand. It is this continued accompaniment that makes all the difference. And this is possible because of you. Thank you.
